Small Steps Living

#2 Lunch Recipes

Lisa’s Pasta Free Minestrone Soup

I’m not sure there’s a more homely smell than soup cooking on the stove. This is my definition of comfort food and living in Brisbane, it’s rather late in the year to be enjoying soup – but ENJOY I AM!

I’ve added pearl barley to this soup, instead of the traditional pasta – which makes it wheat free – a great bonus when you are looking to cut down on wheat.

You can replace the sliced bacon with a bacon hock and remove it when cooking is over, but for ease of ingredients – I used actual bacon in the recipe below. A nitrate-free bacon from free range pigs. It is heavenly. You don’t need much for a lot of flavour.

Print Recipe
 Lisa’s Pasta Free Minestrone Soup
Lisa’s Pasta Free Minestrone Soup
Servings
Ingredients
  • 3 slices of the best bacon you can find and afford (naturally smoked adds an AMAZING flavour to this soup)
  • 1 sliced onion
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 carrots chopped
  • 3 zucchinis chopped
  • 3 potatoes chopped
  • 300 g green beans chopped
  • 2 tins chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup passata
  • 1 litre chicken broth/stock
  • 1.5 - 2 litres water
  • Dash of tamari
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp heaped Italian herbs
  • 1 cup pearl barley (or 1 cup gluten-free pasta spirals)
Servings
Ingredients
  • 3 slices of the best bacon you can find and afford (naturally smoked adds an AMAZING flavour to this soup)
  • 1 sliced onion
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 carrots chopped
  • 3 zucchinis chopped
  • 3 potatoes chopped
  • 300 g green beans chopped
  • 2 tins chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup passata
  • 1 litre chicken broth/stock
  • 1.5 - 2 litres water
  • Dash of tamari
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp heaped Italian herbs
  • 1 cup pearl barley (or 1 cup gluten-free pasta spirals)
Lisa’s Pasta Free Minestrone Soup
Instructions
  1. Cook bacon, onion and garlic in 2 tbls olive oil over a medium heat for 3-5 minutes in a very large sauce pan.
  2. Then add all other ingredients.
  3. Bring to boil them simmer for 1.5 hours
  4. Add 1 cup of pearl barley and continue cooking for half an hour until soft. Enjoy x
Recipe Notes

The Wholefood Collective

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#2 Lunch #3 Dinner Recipes

Zesty Chicken Balls

I’m a big fan of choosing the best possible meat you can find and afford.

This means – MINCE! I always try and have beef, pork and chicken mince on hand. And I’ve gotten pretty creative over the years. My Chicken, Carrot and Feta patties are a standout and also my Wholefood Meatballs.

What your meat eats matters to you.

This recipe was born because I’m always looking for delicious ways to add protein to my kids’ diet – especially my son.

They love these zesty balls of fun. My husband – he was popping one after the other, after the other! And I thought we’d be having leftovers with salad for lunch the next day…

Enjoy them.

Print Recipe
 Zesty Chicken Balls
Zesty Chicken Balls
Servings
Ingredients
  • 500 g organic chicken mince
  • 100 g breadcrumbs (quinoa flakes or gluten-free flour for GF option)
  • 2 cm piece of ginger
  • Zest of 1 small lemon
  • 1 small brown onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp herbamare or salt
  • 1/2 dulse flakes (optional)
  • 1 tbls tamari (or soy sauce if you don’t have it)
Servings
Ingredients
  • 500 g organic chicken mince
  • 100 g breadcrumbs (quinoa flakes or gluten-free flour for GF option)
  • 2 cm piece of ginger
  • Zest of 1 small lemon
  • 1 small brown onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp herbamare or salt
  • 1/2 dulse flakes (optional)
  • 1 tbls tamari (or soy sauce if you don’t have it)
Zesty Chicken Balls
Instructions
  1. Finely grate ginger and lemon zest and add them with the rest of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until similar to a sausage meat consistency (You can always mash really well with your hands!).
  2. Roll into small balls and add to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and cook in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked, turning once halfway through.
What you do with a Thermomix:
  1. Pop ginger, onion and zest in the bowl and mix on speed 7 for 5 seconds.
  2. Add two slices of sourdough bread to the bowl and mix on speed 8 for 10 seconds. (Skip this step if using pre-done breadcrumbs).
  3. Add all the other ingredients and mix on speed 6 until fully combined. May take 20-30 seconds. Roll into small balls and add to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and cook in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked, turning once halfway through.
  4. Scrape down sides of bowl.
  5. Serve with sweet potato wedges and snow peas.
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#2 Lunch #4 Snacks and Dessert Recipes

Easy White Bean Dip

My son is awesome at eating veggies. My daughter, not so much. It takes a lot of encouragement. So I’m always looking for ways to make them a little more enticing.

This is our lunch plate today.

I pulled out all the ingredients to make hummus to dip some veggies in but…. no chickpeas!

Well done Lisa.

But, I used white beans (cannellini beans) instead and the result is a creamy and delicious dip. All of them devoured it – using veggies to dip mind you – WINNING!

This is pretty much exactly what I would use to make hummus, but with chickpeas obviously. And too much garlic makes it ‘too spicy’ for the kids – so just go carefully there.

Print Recipe
 Easy White Bean Dip
Easy White Bean Dip
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tin cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 finely chopped garlic clove
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 tbls hulled tahini
  • A good pinchof salt
  • Approx 1-2 tbls olive oil
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tin cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 finely chopped garlic clove
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 tbls hulled tahini
  • A good pinchof salt
  • Approx 1-2 tbls olive oil
Easy White Bean Dip
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients except olive oil to a blender and mix for thirty seconds (Thermomix speed 4)
  2. Add olive oil (you want to add enough to get a lovely smooth consistency) and mix for another minute in your blender (speed 4-5 Thermomix)
  3. Done! Get dipping.
Recipe Notes

You could get fancy and add herbs and slices but …. #kids!

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#2 Lunch #3 Dinner Recipes

Gluten-Free Chicken Crumb

Sometimes I like to mix things up.

This recipe was born because after having gastro (sorry TMI!) I thought I’d continue to rest my tummy and not put gluten back in the mix.

I also get a little bored with food. Often this backfires on me with three little people who don’t appreciate changing things up as much as me! But this recipe was an all-out WINNER.

So I thought I’d share it. You won’t regret trying it.

Print Recipe
 Gluten-Free Chicken Crumb
Gluten-Free Chicken Crumb
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 handful almonds
  • 2 handfuls of pepitas pumpkin seeds
  • Sprinkle of onion salt and garlic powder (perhaps 1/4 tsp of each – more if you love flavour!)
  • 4 chicken thighs or 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 egg
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 handful almonds
  • 2 handfuls of pepitas pumpkin seeds
  • Sprinkle of onion salt and garlic powder (perhaps 1/4 tsp of each – more if you love flavour!)
  • 4 chicken thighs or 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 egg
Gluten-Free Chicken Crumb
Instructions
  1. Whiz all ingredients up into a meal and place in a bowl.
  2. Lightly whisk egg in a bowl.
  3. Cut chicken thigh or fillets into tenderloins or small cubes.
  4. Dip chicken in egg and then coat with the crumb.
  5. Cook in olive oil or coconut oil in a pan on moderate heat. Enjoy it with homemade tomato sauce or perhaps a Honey Mustard Dip (1 tbls mayonnaise, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp honey)
Recipe Notes

Reminders:

If you can’t eat nuts replace with gluten-free bread crumbs
If you don’t need gluten free this works beautifully with breadcrumbs (I like using up the ends of my loaves of sourdough bread)

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#1 Breakfast #2 Lunch Recipes

Baked Eggs

So I’ve pretty much created the simplest baked eggs in the world and my husband agrees it tastes totally cafe worthy – not kidding.

Print Recipe
 Baked Eggs
Baked-eggs_600x600
Course Breakfast
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbls olive oil
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves sliced
  • 3 pieces of good-quality bacon diced
  • 1 tin diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup passata tomato puree
  • 1 heaped tsp Italian herbs
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar ACV
  • 1 tsp rapadura sugar (brown sugar if you don’t have it)
  • 1/2 tsp Good quality salt
  • 4 eggs
  • Avocado and feta (optional)
Course Breakfast
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbls olive oil
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves sliced
  • 3 pieces of good-quality bacon diced
  • 1 tin diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup passata tomato puree
  • 1 heaped tsp Italian herbs
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar ACV
  • 1 tsp rapadura sugar (brown sugar if you don’t have it)
  • 1/2 tsp Good quality salt
  • 4 eggs
  • Avocado and feta (optional)
Baked-eggs_600x600
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Warm olive oil in a pan over moderate heat. Add onion, garlic and bacon and cook gently (don’t burn the garlic!)
  3. Once cooked add tomatoes and passata. Get it bubbling away and then add salt, sugar, herbs and ACV.
  4. Let it reduce slightly (maybe four-five minutes on the stove) then transfer to an oven proof dish – I used a square ceramic dish.
  5. Make little holes for the eggs, drop them in and pop in the oven for around 10-15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
  6. Add avocado and feta over the top if you like – you could add anything! Leftover chicken and haloumi would be amazing. Serve it on a bed of baby spinach and a side of crusty sourdough. Options are endless… Change herbs to change the flavour.
Recipe Notes

Enjoy, and post your favourite variations in the comments below…

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#2 Lunch #3 Dinner Recipes

Bacon, Egg & Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Is there any better flavour combo than tomato and basil?! Look at these delicious mixed tomatoes that I got in the veggie box this week.

Sometimes you don’t need a recipe – you just need to combine flavours that rock – strawberries and cream, chocolate and mint, cheese and crackers (oh, hang on!)

Tomato and basil drizzled with olive oil and a crack of salt and pepper = delicious.

But sometimes you do need a recipe for an equally as delicious flavour combo so here’s how I made yummo Bacon, Egg and Sweet Potato Cupcakes.

Print Recipe
 Bacon, egg & sweet potato cupcakes
Bacon, egg & sweet potato cupcakes
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 Sweet potato grated
  • 100 g cheese grated
  • 1 tbls chopped basil
  • 4 rashers of bacon chopped
  • 6-8 eggs
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 Sweet potato grated
  • 100 g cheese grated
  • 1 tbls chopped basil
  • 4 rashers of bacon chopped
  • 6-8 eggs
Bacon, egg & sweet potato cupcakes
Instructions
  1. Grease a cupcake tray with olive oil.
  2. Mix sweet potato, cheese, basil and bacon + 2 eggs together in a large bowl.
  3. Once combined, divide mixture into equal portions in cupcake tray
  4. Then whisk remaining eggs and pour over the top.
  5. Place in moderate oven for fifteen minutes or until cooked through.
Recipe Notes

Perfect for lunch box leftovers the next day!

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#2 Lunch #3 Dinner Recipes

Eggplant Chips

Ok so ever since I went to Movida Next Door in Melbourne I have been thinking about eggplant chips. One night I attempted them. HOLY MAJOLY!!!!!
Soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside. Give me strength. – I almost ate a whole eggplants worth.

These are so good!

It’s like eggplant heaven.

Print Recipe
 Eggplant Chips
eggplant-chips-sq-600x600
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 eggplants
  • Good quality salt I use pink himalayan
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup wholemeal spelt flour
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Herbamare flavoured salt you can buy at supermarkets – if you don’t have it use normal salt
  • 1 tsp dulse flakes seaweed flakes you get from the health food store – totally optional
  • olive oil
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 eggplants
  • Good quality salt I use pink himalayan
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup wholemeal spelt flour
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Herbamare flavoured salt you can buy at supermarkets – if you don’t have it use normal salt
  • 1 tsp dulse flakes seaweed flakes you get from the health food store – totally optional
  • olive oil
eggplant-chips-sq-600x600
Instructions
  1. Cut 2 eggplants into ‘chip’ shapes.
  2. Sprinkled with salt and let sit for half an hour in a large bowl.
  3. Then I whisked up two eggs and added to the bowl, coating the eggplant.
  4. I then mixed flour and spices/salt/dulse together and put on a plate.
  5. In batches I took the egg soaked eggplant and coated in the flour mixture.
  6. Once coated I cooked them in a pan with olive oil at a moderate temperature. Turning to cook on all sides.
  7. You’ll need to keep adding olive oil to the pan (It needs to totally coat the bottom). Coconut oil would also be amazing but my family cannot stand anything cooked in it, so I use the olive oil and just make sure the pan doesn’t get too hot.
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#2 Lunch #3 Dinner Recipes

Stuffed Mushrooms

Never have I made stuffed mushrooms. But will I do it again?? Hell yeah! These were delicious.

I saw some delicious field mushrooms and thought “I’m going to make something with those” and had no idea what. Who knows why I felt possessed to creating a ‘stuffing’ for them, but I did. And I’m so glad.

Print Recipe
 Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed Mushrooms
Servings
Ingredients
  • 3 large field mushrooms
  • Both ends of a loaf of sourdough
  • 1 carrot
  • Half a red capsicum
  • Small handful chives
  • Handful parsley
  • 80 g of fetta
  • salt and pepper
  • Drizzle of olive oil
Servings
Ingredients
  • 3 large field mushrooms
  • Both ends of a loaf of sourdough
  • 1 carrot
  • Half a red capsicum
  • Small handful chives
  • Handful parsley
  • 80 g of fetta
  • salt and pepper
  • Drizzle of olive oil
Stuffed Mushrooms
Instructions
  1. Pulsed all ingredients except mushrooms in the Thermomix about four times for one second each. Or use any blender to break it up.
  2. Then separate mixture out among mushrooms and cook in moderate oven around 20-25 minutes or until mushies are soft and stuffing mixture is crispy on top.
Recipe Notes

So delicious. Everyone loved it, especially my biggest cheerleader – mum!

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#2 Lunch #3 Dinner Recipes

Sweet Potato and Zucchini Fritters

I think I have a problem with fritters.

Tonight I hadn’t much prepared (clearly did not menu plan this week!) so I thought – what could I fritter?

Answer: Sweet potato and zucchini!

The whole family loved these. Fritter saves the day again.

Print Recipe
 Sweet Potato and Zucchini Fritters
Sweet Potato and Zucchini Fritters
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 massive sweet potato grated
  • 2 zucchinis grated
  • 1 red onion thinly diced
  • 1 1/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 massive sweet potato grated
  • 2 zucchinis grated
  • 1 red onion thinly diced
  • 1 1/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Sweet Potato and Zucchini Fritters
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and stir to fully combine.
  2. Heat 2 tbls olive oil, coconut oil or ghee in a pan over moderate heat.
  3. Create balls of mixture with your hands, place in pan and flatten.
  4. Cook well on both sides.
  5. Remove from pan and top with avocado, tomato and feta.
Recipe Notes

Delicious! Every single member of the family devoured them. But two kids removed and didn’t eat the tomato!

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#2 Lunch #3 Dinner #4 Snacks and Dessert Recipes

Zucchini Slice

Honestly – it’s a family staple. It comes in handy ALL THE TIME – I always need a batch frozen in portions in the freezer for those days when I know making dinner at 5:30pm just isn’t going to happen. Pop some in a lunchbox when you’re on the go – oh how versatile is the zucchini slice!!

This is my basic recipe – but you can add other grated vegetables, you can top it with thinly sliced tomato, you can add sliced olives, you can add tuna, or feta. Pimp this any way you like.

Print Recipe
 Zucchini Slice
Zucchini Slice
Servings
Ingredients
  • 4 large zucchinis grated
  • 3 pieces of bacon sliced (organic, free-range/best quality you can find)
  • 1 brown onion chopped
  • 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour (or gluten-free flour)
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 tbls savoury yeast flakes (for dairy free) or two handfuls cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp dulse flakes (optional)
  • salt and pepper
Servings
Ingredients
  • 4 large zucchinis grated
  • 3 pieces of bacon sliced (organic, free-range/best quality you can find)
  • 1 brown onion chopped
  • 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour (or gluten-free flour)
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 tbls savoury yeast flakes (for dairy free) or two handfuls cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp dulse flakes (optional)
  • salt and pepper
Zucchini Slice
Instructions
  1. Grate your zucchini. If the zucchini is very 'wet' (often large zucchinis contain more moisture) then grab a clean tea towel, pop your grated zucchini inside and give it a good old squeeze over your sink to get rid of excess moisture.
  2. Add everything to a large bowl and stir until fully combined.
  3. Pour into a baking tray and cook at 180 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned on top and cooked through.
  4. Slice into pieces and freeze in portions perfect for lunch boxes!
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